Latin Manuscripts : Summa dictaminis epistolarum

Latin Manuscripts

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Manuscript containing proverbs, a treatise on letter writing and letters, written in England in the early to mid 15th century. The manuscript, though written in one hand throughout, consists of two distinct parts : (i) The gatherings a, b, c, folios 1-30, containing a collection of proverbs in Latin and English, and (ii) the gatherings d, e, folios 31-54, containing a Latin treatise on letter-writing, followed by a collection of letters. The two parts are distinct and self- contained, and there is no catchword linking gathering c with gather- ing d, in fact the former ends with blank leaves: it is quite possible that the gatherings have been misplaced in rebinding, and that origin- ally gatherings d, e preceded gatherings a, b, c. Each part of the manuscript is, in its own way, of great interest: the proverbs in the first part are the most bulky and striking feature of the book, but the second part, on letter-writing, seems to be really the principal item, and in a way helps to explain the other part.</p>